My BBR Internship!!

Hello everyone! My name is Ian and I am a U.C. Davis student (California, USA) and I spent this summer doing a 2 1/2 month internship at Belize Bird Rescue! I had the most amazing time and I really didn't want to leave (and still wish that I hadn't had to). I learned and had experience with so much while I was there, everything from: Parrot handling to local conservation efforts and issues, how to test fecal samples for parasites and health to website design, everything that it takes to run a rescue from the daily work to the budget and all of the resources needed. And so much more! I raised babies (white-fronted parrots, yellow-headed parrots, red-lored parrots, white-crowned parrots, a robin, swift, mockingbird, blackbird, woodpecker, oropendola, toucans, toucanets and even a yucatan squirrel) from as early as before their eyes were open and required hourly feedings until, for some, all the way to the point of release. More than the birds, and other animals, I learned about many other aspects of Belize including its history, culture, and governmental systems. I made friends, human friends not just bird friends, and best of all I learned that every single bird has their own personality, habits, and everything else that you only learn about when you spend a lot of time with someone. I have been working in raptor rehabilitation and education for the past year but this summer a couple parrots, a couple songbirds and a squirrel stole my heart. I'll be back there as soon as I can, be it to work again or only just for a visit. I'm already starting to plan my return for this coming June after I graduate!